EPISODE
9
Tripel Threat
When
people ask me what kinds of beer I like, I usually reply that I tend to
gravitate towards IPAs and Belgian-style triples. Since I've already
written about IPAs here, it's time for some triples. I personally believe that
the exemplar of the species is Brouwerij Bosteels' Tripel Karmeliet, with the
tripel from the Brasserie de l'Abbaye du Val-Dieu a close second. But nowadays
you don't have to be Belgian to brew a tripel. My favorite local example is
"Monk's Uncle," from Pike Brewing here in Seattle. Sound Brewing in
Poulsbo, WA has a solid entry in their "Tripel Entendre," and Ninkasi
in Eugene, OR pleasantly surprised me with their fine take on the style.
Perhaps the best Belgian-style tripel not made in Belgium is "La Fin du
Monde," from Unibroue in Chambly, Quebec. It is a beer I deem
sonnet-worthy.
THE
BELGIAN TRIPEL
(Originally
published in Pin-Up Quarterly, Issue 6, April/June 2012)
No
pint glass is appropriate to serve
As
vessel for a treasure such as this
Instead
a tulip goblet is preferred
With
curves as lush as those of any miss
The
nectar it contains, a heady brew
An
ale fit for the Pope, its brewers sought
The
proof of their achievement is the hue
As
golden as the gifts the Magi brought
A
chimp might crave its slight banana flavor
Created
through the alchemy of yeasts
A
hint of bubble-gum, more tastes to savor
The
handiwork of those zymurgic priests
And
with a final note of clove it's told
A
tale of monks who chose love over gold
LA
FIN DU MONDE
They
call it "Fin du Monde," and true enough
You'd
have to reach the world's end just to find
Another
ale that's equal to this stuff
With
flavor far beyond the daily grind
Yes,
it's from Canada but it's as fine
As
any tripel Belgian monks could forge
You'll
want to sip it, like expensive wine
As,
one by one, fresh qualities emerge
It
started with a bready yeasty nose
And
then phenols and esters came along
So
that banana flavor then arose
And
triple fermentation made it strong!
So
when the world at last comes to its end
I'll
spend my last hours drinking, with a friend
MONK'S
UNCLE
I
really have to hand it to The Pike:
Of
all the local claims to Belgium's crown
This
entry is the one I really like
Complex
in taste yet easy to drink down
It's
hoppier than one would think to find
From
this specific style of Belgian beer
But
let the upfront bitterness unwind
Its
other elements become more clear
A
tangy fruity backbone sets the stage
A
hint of pineapple (banana, too)
But
is that coriander? Is that sage?
And
last, the clove notes venture into view
All
aspects meld together in the end:
A
perfect drink for any simian
